Dejphon Chansiri has heaped praise on Liam Palmer following his Sheffield Wednesday testimonial.
Palmer became Sheffield Wednesday’s longest-serving player last season as he racked up a whopping 435 appearances since joining the academy in 1999.
The Owls celebrated his services at the weekend as they took in Leganes in his testimonial, drawing 0-0 at Hillsborough.
Having signed a new contract at Wednesday, Palmer could now comfortably surpass 450 appearances for the club – a figure that may not be beaten for a very long time.
Chansiri has since shared a message with the defender and has revealed what every manager and player has ‘always’ said about him.
- READ MORE: Leganes send ‘special’ message to ‘incredible’ Liam Palmer after Sheffield Wednesday testimonial
Sheffield Wednesday managers have always loved Palmer
Writing in the match-day programme (as per The Star), the Wednesday owner said: “I have now been involved in to Hillsborough today for football for almost a decade and I know it is very rare for one player to stay with one club for such a long period of time. Liam is very much the exception to the modern-day rule.
“From all the managers and players he has worked alongside, the message has always been the same, that Liam is an outstanding professional and person. He completely deserves this testimonial and the accolades that go side by side with such an achievement.
“I sincerely hope that Liam, his family, friends and colleagues enjoy this occasion today, which will be something Liam can look back on with pride, a day that very few players will experience.
“Liam has been with Wednesday since he was a young boy in the academy, right the way through to the first team, to become the man he is today. He stands proudly in the top 10 of all-time appearance makers for our club and his numbers will only continue to grow I wish him every success for this afternoon and the future.”
Hard work and commitment can be important than ability
Since making his debut in August 2010, Palmer has worked under 12 different managers in 14 years.
He has always been a favourite under each coach and has been used across the pitch – playing everywhere but attack and in goal.
While arguably not the most talented, Palmer’s hard work and dedication has clearly been appreciated by everyone he has worked with and he has shown exactly how to last so long at one club.
It’s unclear what will happen with the 32-year-old once his new contract ends, but he will always be a massive legend at Middlewood Road, and an even bigger one if he can beat all the odds and help Wednesday reach the play-offs.